Hunting/Shooting Hearing Protection

07/14/2016

Excellent question! At first glance, it would appear that you will still be exposed to 120 dB of noise, even with a 30 dB ear plug properly inserted (150-30=120), and because 120 dB is far above the 85 dB beginning threshold of NIHL (noise induced hearing loss,) it would seem that NIHL from shooting is unavoidable, and yet, shooters routinely are undamaged by their shooting experiences. What is going on here?

To understand how shooters can be exposed to 120 dB of noise without damaged hearing the result, consider the first principle in hearing protection: For noise below 140 dB, which can cause instant damage, NIHL results from the weighted average cumulative noise exposure. (The below table illustrates that principle nicely.)

How Loud and How Long

One way that noise can permanently damage your hearing is by a single brief exposure to a high noise level, such as a firecracker going off near your ear. But hearing damage can also occur gradually at much lower levels of noise, if there is enough exposure over time. To protect your hearing, you'll want to limit your exposure to these moderately high noise levels and give your ears a chance to recover after any period of noise exposure.

Safe Exposure Times

Exposure Time

dB

Sound

Instantaneous permanent damage

140+

Shotgun, rifle, jetplane takeoff

Less than one second

130

jackhammer, heavy industry

Less than ten seconds Threshold of pain

120

Rock concert

1.5 minutes

110

Power tools, snowmobile

15 minutes

100

Chainsaw, motorcycle

2.5 hours

90

Lawn mower

8 hours

85

Beginning of Danger Zone

Prolonged exposure to noise levels 85dB and higher can result in permanent hearing loss.

So, let’s assume your shotgun produces 150 dB. Most likely, that number is based on measurements taken at a point close to the weapon, and a point that is closer to the source of the sound than will be your ears. As a result, you will most likely experience a lower exposure level than the maximum the gun can produce. It is also true that a shotgun blast is quite short-lived, resulting in a lower cumulative exposure level than you might expect. All that said, better to overestimate the danger than underestimate it, but stay with me as I continue our example.

NIOSH (The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a division of the US CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) says that one should never allow exposure over 140 dB lest you suffer instant and irreversible hearing damage. So, assuming you can wear a protector that reduces the maximum noise level at your ear by 30 dB, when shooting a shotgun that produces 140 dB at your ear, you would experience just 110 dB (140-30=110) (this assumes you had the hearing protector fitted properly, which is vitally important…) According to the table above, you could stand such an impact for a total of 90 seconds in a 24 hour period without harm.

Now, assume the duration of the muzzle blast is 500 milliseconds (a severely conservative estimate given that a muzzle blast actually lasts 3-5 milliseconds.) Of course you are exposed to more sound as the muzzle blast noise bounces back to you after being reflected off the ground, walls if there are any, nearby vehicles, trees, and the like. Even so, the total exposure you experience will be far less than our conservative estimate of 500 milliseconds.

Using this very conservative 500 millisecond number, according to the table, you could be exposed to 180 such muzzle blast noise events within a 24 hour period without harm as long as you were wearing the 30 dB protector (90 seconds per day/500 milliseconds per event = 180 events per day.) As you increase the noise level, of course you would need more protection, and/or you could stand fewer blasts without damage.

So that is how as a shooter, you can be exposed to numerous 140 dB noise events with just a 30 dB hearing protector, and suffer no hearing damage.

SNR, NRR, and IPIL Rating

NRR and SNR ratings are based on a single noise level, usually set at 100 dB, but it turns out that most hearing protectors act differently as the noise level increases, giving you more protection than the NRR alone suggests. The appropriate metric for rating hearing protectors used against impulse noise is called the IPIL rating (Impulsive Peak Insertion Loss) which considers the non-linear noise blocking properties of the specific hearing protector. At present very few devices have an IPIL rating though, so the NRR will have to do for now. In all cases of which I am aware, the IPIL will be greater than the NRR, so using the NRR is a good conservative approach. For more on IPIL, see the report here.

Dual Protection

Another recommendation of NIOSH is to use dual protection (ear muffs worn over ear plugs) any time you will be exposed to noise levels exceeding a time-weighted 8 hour exposure of 100 dB or more. Computing that exposure level would be difficult, so my simplifying suggestion is to use dual protection any time you are in the following situations:

You are going to spend significant time in a constant noise environment at or above 100 dB.

You are planning to shoot indoors with any caliber of weapon.

You are planning to shoot any guns larger than a .22 caliber when target shooting outdoors.

You are shooting a large caliber weapon when hunting alone.

You are hunting with others close by, as in a duck blind. It can get really loud with three guys all repeatedly firing their shotguns next to each other.

When using a dual protection system, you can estimate the total protection you are getting by adding 6 to the higher NRR rating of the two devices you are wearing. For instance, if you are using a 30 NRR ear plug under a 25 NRR ear muff, you should experience about a 36 effective NRR rating. This assumes you are getting the full rated performance from both devices. The trouble with wearing dual protection is that you cannot hear the range officer or your buddies calling to you out in the field when hunting. A highly recommended solution is to use an electronic shooting ear muff rather than a passive ear muff. The electronic muff will amplify the sounds you hear so that you can more easily hear the range officer through the ear plugs, and when someone fires near you, the electronic ear muffs will instantly shut down the amplifier, and you will enjoy the full rated protection of the muffs.

Recommendations for shooters and others using dual protection

Most users of dual protection choose ordinary foam ear plugs worn under passive ear muffs. As stated above, any time you need the ability to hear what is going on around you, we suggest electronic shooting ear muffs which will enable you to hear amplified voices even through your ear plugs. We offer many different models starting in the mid $20 range. If you have never tried electronic shooting ear muffs, a great model to begin with is the Bilsom Impact Sport. At under $50, these nice slim, well-made ear muffs are one of the best value options available.

In addition to ordinary foam ear plugs, you may want to consider some of the more sophisticated shooting ear plugs which have non-linear acoustic filters that let you hear low sounds but then give you more protection automatically, against dangerously loud sounds. Some of these also include a valve you can open to let sound flow through the filter, or close to give full block noise protection.

05/03/2016

Q. Which are the thinnest most compact electronic muffs for trap and skeet shooting?

A. There are a few really good, slim, low-profile shooting ear muffs to consider. Of course, the "best" is always relative -- are you looking for the best quality money can buy, the most popular model, or the most recent design? Here are our best suggestions for a thin, compact electronic shooting earmuff.

Top-Notch Quality

The Pro Ears Stalker has a chopped ear cup that helps keep the muff from bumping the stock, so I would suggest these if you are looking for a high quality electronic muff. The price tag might be prohibitive, however, depending on your budget.

Popularity

Though the electronics are not as good, and there is no balance adjustment from ear to ear as with the Pro Ears, the Bilsom Impact Sport is one of the most popular electronic shooting muffs in the world, and with good reason. The build is top quality, the ear cups are nice and slim, the headband is metal reinforced for long life, and the price is remarkable.

New Design

I also like the Walker XPMB, their newest muffs, though I have not yet used them myself (I use Pro Ears), Walker has excellent products in every way and they have been updating their line more frequently than have their competitors, so you will not go wrong there.

What about non-electronic ear muffs?

If you prefer a passive muff, I would say choose a low NRR because high NRR means fat ear cups. Pick one with a wire, rather than plastic headband, and stay with Howard Leight/Bilsom, 3M Peltor, or Moldex brands and you will find what you are looking for.

04/12/2016

Hunting hearing aids offer safe sound amplification, making it easier to hear voices and prey sounds at the range or in the field. But many of our customers have asked us: can you use a hunting hearing aid for daily wear? And with so many features to consider, how do you choose the right one? Read on.

Question: Could I use a hunting hearing aid for daily wear, and how do I choose the best feature set?

Answer: Absolutely the hunting hearing aids can be used for daily wear. In fact I suspect that the primary reason most people buy hunting hearing aids is because they are so much less expensive than professional hearing aids, while providing similar functionality. The added benefit of automatically limiting dangerous noises is a plus no matter what you are doing.

I would also add that if you need a hearing aid that is programmed to your audiogram, you will generally be better served by buying a professional hearing aid, though some of the models we sell do have that capability.

The other limitation of hunting hearing aids is that none offer more than about a 50 dB maximum gain, so if you need more than that, they will be inadequate for your purposes.

Finally, when choosing a hearing aid, here are a few features to consider:

Digital vs. Analog. Digital is better in that they use less battery power, they process sound more cleanly giving you a better quality of sound and the possibility of multiple stored setting profiles as well as being programmable. All these potential benefits depend on the model you are buying of course and a basic digital with one channel will not be much better than an analog model, though it will be more expensive.

Number of Channels. Each channel is an amplifier that is dedicated to a specific range of frequencies. Think of these as analogous to woofers and tweeters on a stereo system. The more channels, up to about 4, gives you a much clearer sound quality because each amplifier channel will be better at doing its job, rather than one amplifier having to do the job of amplifying all the frequency ranges.

Number of Bands. In addition to dedicated amplifiers which help to preserve the overall clarity of sound, digital hearing aids contain a graphic equalizer, usually with 4 to 16 programmable bands. The equalizer is what gets tuned by programming so that it emphasizes or de-emphasizes specific frequencies the user has difficulty hearing or to which he is overly sensitive. In most hunting hearing aids, the graphic equalizer is tuned to a good average setting profile that works for the majority of people expected to use these, with no intention of the device ever being programmed to a specific user's needs. In general, the more bands, the more precisely the device can be tuned, but since hunting hearing aids do not get tuned to each user, more bands are really a waste of money. It is like buying a high end graphic equalizer and keeping all 16 bands set right in the middle.

ITE (in the ear) vs. BTE (behind the ear). Both have pros and cons. Some ITE devices can be made with custom molds, though that option is rarely available for devices under $1,000. All BTE devices can be fitted with a custom mold because the BTE device delivers sound through a tube, which can readily be fitted with a custom mold. A set of custom molds for a pair of BTE Devices will cost about $120-150, depending on the variables you add such as special colors, coatings, etc. BTE devices have become small enough that most now fit neatly and comfortably behind the ear, unlike older analog models that were pretty big and clunky. As a result, BTE devices have begun to win out over ITE devices. ITE devices also tend to suffer problems with feedback because the microphone on the face of the device is very close to the speaker that projects sound into the ear. Even a tiny sound leak often results in a really annoying feedback squeal. That said, modern digital ITE devices are nearly all equipped with sophisticated feedback reduction circuits that dramatically limit the feedback problem by instantly shutting down the amplifiers in a feedback situation. BTE devices, resting behind the ear, and well away from the output of the device in the canal, do not have nearly so much of a feedback problem.

One more thing: if you have never used an in-ear amplifier, you might want to start with a cheap entry level device and see how that works for you. Once you have a little experience with the in ear devices, you can then begin to home in on the features offered by higher end devices to choose those that address your areas of dissatisfaction with the less expensive options.

"This product is
fantastic. The process for getting them made is a little cumbersome, but worth
the effort. They send an ear mold kit to you to begin the process. You can then
do the ear mold yourself or have an audiologist do it. I chose the latter,
given the investment, and got perfect molds done. Then, return the molds to the
company and they manufacture the hearing device.

I purchased the Digital 2 model as I use it at the gun range. My first use was
at a CCW training session. It worked extremely well. I am somewhat hard of
hearing and use hearing aids in normal everyday functions. I could hear very
well on the range. The instructor's commands were easily heard and the sound
suppression at the shot was great.

I next tried it on the rifle range with my AR. Again, very clear hearing and
great sound suppression at the shot.

I did find that the #2 setting was more comfortable for gun range use. I've not
yet tried it at the shotgun range.

So far, I love these devices. I think that, given the in-your-ear, custom fit,
these are well worth the money. If you are only shooting at the pistol range,
the over-the-ear active ear protectors will do you fine. But, if you plan to
shoot rifles or butt-stock shotguns, these are indispensable.

I tried the over-the-ear types with my shotgun, and the recoil knocked the ear
muffs completely off my head. Having these in-the-ear prevents all interference
with cheek placement on the weapon.

Highly recommended."

Many thanks to Glasair2 for writing such a helpful and detailed product review -- and thank you to all of you who've also taken time in the past to post your own helpful product reviews at earplugstore.com. At Ear Plug Superstore, we always love hearing from you.

10/03/2013

In our article about NRR 33 hearing protection for hunters, we mentioned that "an increase of 10 dB in NRR (moving from 0 to 10 NRR) will reduce the sound you hear by about half." Today, let's take a look at how this works in a little more detail.

First and foremost, steady state noise such as you would find in a factory is very different from impulse noise such as muzzle blasts.

Steady State Noise (Continuous)As a basic rule of thumb, you can subtract the NRR rating from the noise level you are trying to get protection from when dealing with steady state noise. Let's look at some examples. The article's comment about 10 dB protection reducing sound at the ear by half is true -- but that half is measured on a log scale. That means the 10 dB would be simply subtracted from the maximum. For example, at a blast of 160 dB, a 10 dB protector would reduce the volume at the ear by half, to about 150 dB (not nearly enough protection in a steady state noise environment at that level). At a 95 dB average sound level, the same 10 dB protector would reduce the noise by half, to 85 dB (a safe level of protection). The logarithmic scale can be very confusing, because the numbers it measures are non-linear. Just remember that each 10 dB increase on the dB scale doubles the sound volume, and each 10 dB decrease on the dB scale halves the sound volume. Again, with steady state noise such as you might find in a factory, subtracting the hearing protector's NRR rating from the total dB of sound in your environment is a quick and simple way to figure out how much protection you are getting from noise.

Impulse Noises (Blast Sound)Impulse noises such as muzzle blasts are very different from steady state noises. First, they tend to be much louder than any steady state noises you will ever encounter (unless you work around jet engines or rockets). Second, impulse noises last for just fractions of a second. Impulse noise has not been nearly as well studied as steady state noise, and there is not much in the way of agreement about how to measure the kind of protection you need. In general, most experienced shooters figure out what works for them through experience -- and unless you shoot a lot of large caliber rounds, most of the ear plugs and ear muffs on the market will give you adequate protection. When working with large caliber or magnum rounds and/or simply sending a lot of lead downrange, dual protection (ear plugs worn under a set of ear muffs) is generally recommended.

How to Find Protection for Impulse (Blast) NoisesEven understanding a bit more about how NRR works, trying to find the right hearing protection for shooting can still be frustrating. For more information, check out this great report showing study results on how many rounds you can safely expend per day from different kinds of weapons, at two different levels of hearing protection. Obviously more bullets fired equals more blast noise, which equals more risk of hearing damage and a need for more noise protection. Note that this report comes from a European company, and the European standard is SNR, rather than NRR. To convert from SNR to NRR, subtract 2 to 5 dB from the SNR ratings shown -- that will give you an approximation of the equivalent NRR. So for instance, the report tells us that you can fire a shotgun about 250 times in a day safely while wearing about NRR 20 hearing protection, while you can only fire a 7.5mm assault rifle about 30 times in a day safely using that same NRR 20 hearing protector. Note that this conversion from SNR to NRR is just an educated guess, as the two standards use completely different testing protocols. We do know that SNR is always higher than NRR for the same device, though.

So in short:When it comes to steady state noise, you can estimate how much your hearing protection reduces noise by subtracting the NRR from the ambient noise level in dB's. When it comes to impulse noise, however, that rule of thumb just does not work. With blast noise, your best bet is to realistically consider 1) how loud your weapon is and 2) how frequently you will be firing it, and then to simply experiment with different hunting/shooting hearing protection solutions to find out what works for you.

Just remember that if you think the noise reaching your ears is too loud, it probably is!

Until next time, be safe and love your ears.--Sarah Bergman, Web Developer

07/23/2013

When it comes to hearing protection for hunting and shooting, ProEars Gold Electronic Ear Muffs really are the gold standard. Put a set of these ear muffs on, and you're protected from hazardous gunshot noises, while still being able to hear everything that's going on around you. With Dynamic Level Sound Compression Technology, ProEars Gold ear muffs provide smart protection and sound that won't cut out during gunshots, so you can carry on a conversation while firing your weapon. Great for shooting ranges and hunting trips with buddies.

Right now, you can get a FREEExtreme-Duty Carry Case with any ProEars Gold Series Electronic Ear Muff. The case is rugged, watertight, and airtight, and has plenty of customizable interior space for your high-end ear muffs, small firearms, extra clips, ammo, and more.

04/17/2013

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11/30/2012

When it comes to hunter hearing protection, nobody beats Pro-Ears. These guys don't mess around: every single one of their products is aboslutely top-notch, their ear muffs offer incredible hearing protection with superb comfort and smart features you can't find anywhere else, and their products are well-designed, rugged, and quality made right here in the U.S.A. And out of all of the brilliant hearing protectors Pro-Ears makes, the very finest is their Pro-Ears Gold Series.

I'm not blowing smoke, here -- Pro-Ears really are great. My mother, father, aunt, and cousins all use Pro-Ears. Working at Ear Plug Superstore, we have the unique opportunity to try out many, many different hunter's hearing protectors... and every time, we end up picking Pro-Ears Gold.

As a matter of fact, I was actually at the dentist a couple weeks ago and Pro-Ears came up. My dentist is this great, personable guy who likes to fix your cavities and then go hunting with his family. Knowing where I work, he told me he was looking into hunting hearing protection, and he asked me for the scoop on the very best shooter's ear muff we carry at EPSS. And even with my face half numb and the gas on full blast, I immediately responded, "Pro-Ears Gold Series." True story! After the gas wore off and we chatted about these ear muffs in a bit more detail, my dentist will now be picking up Pro-Ears Gold Series electronic ear muffs as Christmas gifts for the whole family. How cool is that?

My family (and my dentist) aren't the only ones. Pro-Ears Gold ear muffs are the ultimate gift for your favorite hunter/shooter. These ear muffs are the very best you can get, and they're loaded with innovative electronics and unique features -- like the ability to hear someone talking without interruption while the ear muffs protect your ears from nearby gunshots going on at literally the same time.

And if that's not enough to convince you that Pro-Ears Gold ear muffs belong on your shopping list this Christmas, then get a load of this sweet morsel of information: this Christmas season, all our Pro-Ears Gold Series Ear Muffs come with a FREEPro-Ears Extreme Duty Carry Case.

This is not just any old carry case. When they say "extreme," they mean it. If there was a more extreme word for "extreme," that would be the word they would use to describe this case.

This beauty is water tight, air tight, impact absorbant, crush proof, and it'll even float if you accidentally drop it in the water. Inside are two pull-out sheets of thick protective foam, scored in a grid pattern, so you can quickly and easily punch out the perfect shape to cushion and carry your ear muffs -- or even a pair of ear muffs, a pistol or two, and some spare clips and ammo. These are good-sized cases you won't have any trouble carrying around, but that you can also fit some serious gear inside.

The Pro-Ears Extreme Duty Carry Case alone would actually make a pretty fabulous gift all by itself -- but this Christmas, we're giving it away for FREE with any Pro-Ears Gold ear muff purchase.

That's a hefty $64.95 value, friends.

Now, to be fair, Pro-Ears can definitely be pricy -- but they're very much worth the money. And with the FREE Extreme Duty Carry Case, Pro-Ears Gold will give you some serious bang for your buck this holiday season. (I honestly don't know when we'll be able to offer a Pro-Ears deal this good again, so while you're picking up a pair for your favorite hunter, you might grab some for yourself, too, for an extra merry, value-added Christmas.)

Pro-Ears Gold Series Electronic Shooter's Ear Muffs really are the ultimate Christmas gift for the hunting/shooting enthusiast. They're a practical, useful, and clearly high-quality gift that will last for years. Too, giving Pro-Ears hearing protection also means you're giving the gift of good hearing, so these ear muffs not only come with the free Extreme Duty Case, but they also come with a free dose of that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you know that you're doing something really good for someone... and that your gift is going to kick everyone else's gift's butt.

Until next time, be safe and love your ears!--Sarah Bergman, Web Developer

11/28/2012

When it comes to protecting the little ears in your life from dangerous noises, child ear muffs are the best solution available. They're comfortable, they're durable, they're easy to use, and they're safe and effective for the little ones. But until now, all ear muffs designed especially for children have been passive (non-electric).

If you're a loyal reader (or even just a hearing protection enthusiast), you're probably familiar with electronic shooter's ear muffs in general. The key difference between electronic ear muffs and passive, non-electronic ear muffs is situational awareness: with electronic ear muffs, microphones on the outside of the ear cups "listen" to the sounds around you and play them back at a safe level right inside the ear cups. Passive ear muffs just block noise. So do electronic ear muffs -- but the electronic variety also allows you to hear what's going on around you clearly, often actually improving how well you can hear safe sounds like voices or game sound. For hunting and shooting, electronic ear muffs can't be beat.

And now, for the first time ever, electronic ear muffs are available for children.

The new ReVO Electronic Ear Muffs combine the benefits of industry leader Pro-Ears technology with the top-quality design of the enormously popular ReVO passive child ear muff.

The result is an electronic ear muff actually designed for children -- with a smaller and tighter band radius to fit smaller heads, extra plush cushions on the ear cups and headband for fantastic comfort, and the ability to get that critical hearing protection while still maintaining the ability to hear what's happening nearby.

For parents and kids who enjoy hunting together, this is incredible news! Now there are high-quality electronic ear muffs available for you and your child -- which means that during family hunting trips, you can all stay safe and protected and still have meaningful conversations (or give timely instructions and advice) while you're at it. No more taking your ear muffs off and putting them back on every five minutes!

If you and your little ones enjoy hunting or shooting as a family, ReVO Electronic Ear Muffs are an absolute must-have.

Too, for hunting and shooting in particular, the enhanced safety of electronic ear muffs is an incredible benefit for parents and kids alike. Situational awareness is absolutely necessary when firearms are involved; you and your young hunter-in-training both need to be able to hear the range instructor, warning sounds and sirens, each other's voices, and the voices of any other hunters out in the field.

You obviously have to protect your hearing, but you also need to be able to use all of your senses -- including hearing -- to remain safely aware of your surroundings. That's why electronic ear muffs can so drastically improve your overall safety, and not just the safety of your ears!

If you've never taken your child hunting before because of the risk of hearing damage or worries about your child not being able to hear you at critical moments, ReVO Electronic Ear Muffs are the answer.

While ReVO Electronic Ear Muffs will fit infants to small adults, we especially recommend these ear muffs for kids ages 3 to 12. They come in four cool colors/styles -- neon green, pink rain, skulls, and zombie -- and if your kids love to hunt or shoot with mom or dad, they'll love these ReVO Electronic Ear Muffs.

I highly encourage you to try these innovative new ear muffs on your next family hunting trip; if you've been using passive ear muffs to protect your child's hearing before now, I think you will be amazed at what a difference electronic ReVO's can make -- not just in terms of drastically improved safety, but also in terms of dramatically improving the quality of your hunting trips as a parent/child learning and bonding experience.